Now And Forever
Now...And forever. Zul'fan had seeked out the Priestess Aurora. His mind had been in turmoil, and deep down, he'd known that Morgania's spell was weakening again...So he had to move fast. Not an easy task, considering the cursed spell the wench had put on him kept enforcing itself. Yet he had persisted, and persuaded the Priestess to try to make him serve willingly, and without the Fel Collar around his neck. Aurora peered nervously down at Zul'fan. She had penetrated his mental defenses, and was busy searching through some of his memories...And wishes. Wishes that made her skin crawl. For an instant, she seemed to see her Lord Florindo and Lady Morgania through Zul'fan's eyes. And craved to make them hurt. The moment passed, and she quickly altered Zul'fan's vision of hate and gore to one of love. Twitching violently on the bed, Zul'fan's subconcious was running wild. He felt the vile touch of the Priestess changing, meddling...But he would endure it. Sweet, sweet vengeance would soon be his. He tried to stop himself from groaning, but the mental pressure on him was too great for that...Just a few more moments... Aurora finished the new spell on Zul'fan's mind. "Zul...? Are you alright?" Zul'fan stood up slowly. He knew he was badly outnumbered...But he had been so before, and lived to tell the tale. Sallirin, Ihriel, that new Grâm person...And Aurora. He expected no fight from the Priestess, but would kill her first anyway. Just in case. Peering nervously at Zul'fan, Aurora repeated her question. Zul'fan glared at Aurora for a moment, not noticing the flash of green his eyes emitted for just an instant. "I serve...." Aurora sighed with relief, wiping a tiny bit of sweat from her brow. She heard similar expressions of relief from the other members of the Court present...Except for from Ihriel. That one was as much against this whole business as she was herself, but lacked the trust in Lord Florindo and Lady Morgania to withstand it. Necessity, that was the thing. Zul'fan repeated himself.. "I serve..." As he sensed the hateful Elves relaxing, he rose up to full heigh, roaring. "I serve...NONE!" The Priestesses' screams of horror as she ran away was sweet music to his ears. He casually walked towards her, his vengeful mind only seeing her. Aurora turned and ran. She heard the Troll's roaring, as well as the commotion as the others tried to stop him..She heard Wazarg's strangled cry, as well as a yelp from Sallirin. Keeping his one hand against Wazarg's throat, and the other against Sallirin's, Zul'fan thought furiously...It would not do to let the Priestess get away. Once again yelling that he served none, he jumped over the railing, landing just in front of Aurora. Aurora uttered another breathless scream as Zul'fan (now seeming larger than usual) landed on the floor in front of her. As she turned and ran again, she heard the Troll screaming furiously. Zul'fan didn't know what had happened. The hateful Priestess had been within arm's reach, yet one of the other Elfsies had managed to stop him somehow...He couldn't feel what was holding him, yet something was holding him in place as surely as night follows day. The other Elves present - and Wazarg, another Troll- gathered around Zul'fan. Standing so, he was a pitiful thing. He gibbered madly, threatening to do unusual things to them all with his tusks...Sallirin had somehow managed to stop the Troll, and was panting heavily. The effort involved had been great, and he felt exhausted. After a few minutes, Zul'fan felt the spell on him weaken...He would postpone the deaths of the Elfsies present...But the Priestess must die. He walked slowly out of the Inn, yelling after Aurora. So encompassed in his plan to kill the vile Priestess, he didn't notice the Elf behind him pick up a heavy stone... Zul'fan lay on the bed, collapsed. In the end, Sallirin had given him the choice himself. Be free, run away...Or serve. The internal struggle Zul'fan had experienced had been brief...But well-thought through. He simply could not allow Alalaya to be alone with these Elfsies. And he would serve them, for as long as it would take.. In his sleeping mind's eye, he saw himself put on the Fel Collar again. As it closed around his neck, he felt the Fel magiks involved work through his body. Falling to his knees, he heard Ihriel's disgusted sound of denial. Wazarg was howling with tears somewhere in the background, scared by Zul'fans earlier ferocity. Peering up at Sallirin, Zul'fan said: "I serve..." Beginning to cry himself, he went on. "I serve...Now an' forever...Now an' forever..." The instant the Fel Collar was back on Zul'fan's neck, he knew he had failed... "Sallirin...Would yah' fetch...Mistress Aurora, please?" Nodding his assent, Sallirin went for the Priestess. The kind, loving Priestess. "Wazarg, frien'...Could I maybe 'ave a bit a' dat...Tea?" Wazarg complied, gibbering something about all the tea in the world. Speaking to him in Troll, Zul'fan smiled wanly. "I might never be free again...But for that tea, that taste of home...I'll always be in your debt, Wazarg". Zul'fan could hear Sallirin and the nice Priestess approaching again, and readied himself...To apologise to her for acting the way he had... Zul'fan kneeled to the nice Priestess, and made his apology. "I apologise fa' my brutish behaviour, Mistress..." Category:Stories